Comments on conflict and militancy by Pakistani journalist and researcher Aqeel Yousafzai often appear in the media. He recently told CPJ that he was taken into custody and beaten in connection with his critical reports and views he expressed on-air.
The following is a CPJ Blog post by Sumit Galhotra/Asia Program Research Associate:
CPJ’s report, Roots of Impunity, published earlier in 2013, provides a glimpse of the grim realities that journalists in Pakistan face when they cross red lines. Many journalists are threatened, harassed, and intimidated by a host of actors, including members of Pakistan’s security and intelligence apparatus. Some of these cases get reported, but in many instances journalists stay quiet to avoid further trouble. Almost every Pakistani journalist visiting CPJ tells me that he or she routinely receives threats.
However, we notice more journalists breaking their silence despite the intimidation.
Read the full story on CPJ’s site.
